Dark Tides

Watching Mary Griffith throw books at Ben had lost some of its hilarity for Emily when she went back inside. She felt like there was a lead weight pressing on her chest. After everything, she was probably still losing Percy. Why should he stay here in London, when his mother was gone and he was now out of a job? Surely he missed his life at sea, and would be eager to return to it now that he had no obligation to stay. The thought hurt far worse than Nathaniel's dagger had.

"Emily are you all right?" Scarlett's voice pulled her out of her brooding. Scarlett was watching her with her head cocked and a quizzical frown. "You look like someone just kicked your puppy."

"I'm fine," Emily said blankly. "I'm just going to miss you and Ben when you leave again."

Scarlett nodded, face softening. "We'll miss you too. Ben cries himself to sleep most nights."

"I do not!" Ben said, dodging another of Mary's blows.

"Mary you can stop trying to beat him as close to death as he can get," Emily said, forcing her heartache about Percy to the back of her mind. "I have something for all of you." She pulled two small disks out of her bag, handing one to Ben and one to Mary. They were metal, covered in more of the glass shards from the magical island.

"The glass was so pretty, so I saved all the shards I picked up. I was bored one day and started tinkering around with them and I discovered something interesting. Here Ben, take this one and step outside. Mary, pick up the other one."

They did as she instructed, and Mary gasped as Ben's face appeared in the glass. He waved. "Hi, mum."

"That's incredible!" Scarlett leaned over to study the disk over Mary's shoulder.

"Everything on that island was magic," Emily said with a shrug. "I put these together a while ago; I also made one for Mr. Triggs. I thought they might make being apart not so unbearable, since we can still see and talk to each other sometimes. Theoretically. I haven't tested their range. I don't know if there are limits or not. But it's better than nothing."

"You really are a genius, Em." Ben stepped back into the house, pocketing the disk and smiling at her. She returned his smile but wasn't as pleased as she usually was with his praise. She stood up and hugged him tightly.

"Careful with your stitches," he warned.

"Oh, to hell with my stitches," Emily said. "It was wonderful to see you again, Ben. I love you."

"I love you too, little sister. I would say behave yourself but we all know that's a pointless instruction."

Emily laughed as she stepped back.

"We won't be leaving until tomorrow morning," Scarlett said, amused, as Mary launched herself at her son and hugged him like she never intended to let him go. Scarlett linked arms with Emily as she led Scarlett to Teddy's lab.

"So I heard you quite spectacularly turned down a marriage proposal," Scarlett remarked. Emily laughed.

"Yes I suppose I did. Gregory Harrington is a horrible man. I can't believe he had the nerve to try and propose to me after the way he's treated me. He has no respect for women at all. He thinks we're shiny, pretty baubles here only for his own entertainment. And he said awful things to Percy about his mother." Emily's stomach lurched unpleasantly when she mentioned Percy. Scarlett looked thoughtful, her eyes narrowed.

"Is that so?" she said slowly. "Very interesting."

Emily left Scarlett with Teddy and Finnigan and trudged home alone. She was walking past the library, eager to be alone in her room, when her father intercepted her.

"There you are, dear girl. I have something important to show you. And no it can't wait," he added when Emily frowned and opened her mouth. He took her hand and led her out of the house, ushering her into the waiting carriage.

"Daddy what's this all about?" Emily demanded.

"You'll see. Ah, we're nearly there now. Close your eyes."

"Daddy-"

"Close them, Emily."

Sighing, Emily did as she was told. The carriage came to a halt and her father helped her out.

"Open them," he said, sounding more excited than she's ever heard him. She opened her eyes and found a lovely two story house before her. She looked questioningly at her father, who looked as giddy as a little boy in a candy store.

"What is this all about?" she asked. "It's a house."

"It's your house," Bartimus corrected. "It's not quite move in ready, mind you. It will be another week or two before then. Your brothers and Liza and Amelia have been helping to get it ready. Simon and Evelyn too. Her brother is a rather odd bloke, isn't he? Anyway. It's not too far from your mother and I, but still a bit closer to where you'll be working. I wanted to give you some freedom without having you go too far away." He chuckled. "Plus this way it will be easy for you to come back home to visit, if you get lonely or nervous. It will be difficult to adjust to living alone."

Emily's shock and jubilation about having her very own house dimmed slightly. "I'm sure I'll get used to it," she murmured. She would likely be alone very soon, anyway. Bartimus led her inside to give her the grand tour. There was a library, and a beautiful fireplace in the parlor, the mantel adorned with family photographs.

"We still need to move in the rest of your furniture. I was going to put your grandmother's armoire in your bedroom, and I'm still having some of the other rooms painted."

Emily took her father's hand, almost choked with emotion. "You're the best father a girl could ever ask for," she whispered. Bartimus wrapped an arm around her shoulders.

"Only because my beautiful, enchanting daughter inspires me to be," he replied, kissing her head. "Do you like it?"

"I love it. It's absolutely perfect."

Emily was filled with mixed feelings that evening. She sat in her room, looking around and imagining not sleeping there every night anymore. She had never felt such a strange blend of nerves, exultation, and piercing sadness before. Her heart couldn't decide whether it wanted to soar or sink. She was still sitting on her bed lost in thought when Percy climbed onto her balcony. Emily had planned to remain composed while telling Percy goodbye, but she felt her bottom lip start to quiver as soon as she saw him. He had a small bag that probably contained all the clothes he owned, and Caesar was perched on his shoulder like he thought he was a parrot instead of a cat. Percy stepped into her room hesitantly as Emily lowered her eyes.

"Uh, hi," he said uncertainly.

"I really don't know how well I can handle any more goodbyes, so can we please keep this brief?" Emily's voice wavered. Percy was silent for a moment and she risked a quick glance at him. He looked confused.

"Are you going somewhere?" he asked finally.

"No, of course I'm not." Emily frowned.

"Then why would we be saying goodbye? I just got here."

"That's not funny," Emily said tersely. Percy continued to stare at her in bewilderment, though there was a flicker of hurt in his eyes.

"I wasn't making a joke, Emily. I...I don't know what I did to upset you but I'm sorry."

Emily lowered her face again, feeling a few tears slip down her cheeks. Percy started talking, sounding awkward, like he didn't know what else to do.

"I finished cleaning out the house, so I'm going to be staying with Luke for now, since I'm out of a job and all. I promised I'd come by and see you tonight, but if you're mad at me I can leave. Are you crying?" Percy set his bag down and knelt in front of her, his frown deepening. "Emily, what's the matter? You seemed fine earlier, until I came by with Scarlett."

"I..." Emily burst into tears and Percy looked alarmed.

"Emily what's wrong?" He reached out to take her hands but Emily pulled them back.

"I don't want you to go, Percy!" she choked between sobs. "I know it probably seems incredibly selfish for me to ask you to stay, since Malina is gone, and you don't have a job anymore and you don't have a proper place to stay and Scarlett is your best friend and you must miss your life at sea and there's nothing for you here but-"

"Wait a minute." This time Percy succeeded in taking her hands. "Is that what this is all about? You thought I was leaving?"

"Well...yes. Aren't you?" Emily sniffled, trying to get her emotions under control.

"No, of course I'm not. Scarlett offered but I never said I was going. Oh, Emily." He reached up and gently wiped the tears off her face. "I'm not going anywhere, you goose. Please stop crying. I don't like to see you cry, especially because of me."

"I can't help it," Emily said shakily. "I thought I was going to lose you forever and I couldn't bear it."

"Well you're not losing me. Just because my mother is gone doesn't mean there's nothing here for me."

Emily pressed her lips together, trying to quell another onslaught of tears. Percy stared up at her in concern.

"Are you still mad at me?" he asked. Emily let out a watery laugh. She fairly flung herself off the bed, burying her face in his chest.

"No," she said. "I'm not mad at you." She drew back and looked up at him, finding relief in his eyes.

"I'm not mad," she repeated. "I just never want you to go away, okay? I don't know what I would do without you." She paused and took a breath as her heart began to pound nervously. Finally she bolstered her courage and said what she'd been wanting to say for some time.

"I love you, Percy."